beginner
Goes inside the verb to say what you will do, or what you guess is true: 맛있겠다 (masitgetda), "that looks delicious".
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- Same form after any stem. It goes before the ending: 겠어요 gesseoyo, 겠습니다 getseumnida, 겠다 getda.
- Three main jobs: what you will do, what you guess, and softening a request.
Build it
When to use it
What you will do
A decision, often formal.
Guessing
From what you see or hear right now.
Softening
A gentler way to ask.
Watch out
겠 needs a full ending after it: 겠어요 gesseoyo.
Use one ending: 겠 + 습니다 seumnida.
In context
9 examples- 1
내일은 비가 오겠어요.
Naeireun biga ogesseoyo.
It looks like it's going to rain tomorrow.
- 2
제가 하겠습니다.
Jega hagetseumnida.
I'll do it.
- 3
잘 먹겠습니다!
Jal meokgetseumnida!
Thank you for the meal!
- 4
많이 피곤하시겠어요. 좀 쉬세요.
Mani pigonhasigesseoyo. jom swiseyo.
You must be really tired. Get some rest.
- 5
지금 출발하면 늦겠어요.
Jigeum chulbalhamyeon neutgesseoyo.
If we leave now, we'll be late.
- 6
다음 주까지 보내 드리겠습니다.
Daeum jukkaji bonae deurigetseumnida.
I'll send it to you by next week.
- 7
와, 재미있겠다!
Wa, jaemiitgetda!
Wow, that sounds fun!
- 8
처음 뵙겠습니다.
Cheoeum boepgetseumnida.
Nice to meet you.
- 9
알겠습니다. 바로 할게요.
Algetseumnida. baro halgeyo.
Got it. I'll do it right away.
Practice
8 questions가다 + 겠 + 어요
겠 or (으)ㄹ 거예요?
Both can talk about the future, but they feel different. When you announce what you'll do, 겠 sounds decided and a little formal, which is why you hear it at work and in shops. For everyday plans, most people use (으)ㄹ 거예요:
- 제가 하겠습니다. jega hagetseumnida "I'll do it." Taking it on, formally.
- 내일 친구를 만날 거예요. naeil chingureul mannal geoyeyo "I'm going to meet a friend tomorrow." A plan.
For guesses, 겠 reacts to something in front of you, while (으)ㄹ 거예요 is a more general prediction:
- 맛있겠다! masitgetda "That looks delicious!" You can see it.
- 맛있을 거예요. masisseul geoyeyo "It'll probably be good." A general guess.
Set phrases with 겠
You'll hear these every day, and none of them are really about the future:
- 잘 먹겠습니다. jal meokgetseumnida Said before you eat.
- 알겠습니다. algetseumnida "Understood."
- 모르겠어요. moreugesseoyo "I don't know," softer than 몰라요 mollayo.
- 처음 뵙겠습니다. cheoeum boepgetseumnida "Nice to meet you," very polite.
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 겠 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.